Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
(2009)6:91-97
91
DOI 10.1007/s12182-009-0017-9
Abstract: Chokes are one of the most important components of downhole flow-control equipment. The
particle erosion mathematical model, which considers particle-particle interaction, was established and
used to simulate solid particle movement as well as particle erosion characteristics of the solid-liquid
two-phase flow in a choke. The corresponding erosion reduction approach by setting ribs on the inner
wall of the choke was advanced. This mathematical model includes three parts: the flow field simulation
of the continuous carrier fluid by an Eulerian approach, the particle interaction simulation using the
discrete particle hard sphere model by a Lagrangian approach and calculation of erosion rate using semiempirical correlations. The results show that particles accumulated in a narrow region from inlet to outlet
of the choke and the dominating factor affecting particle motion is the fluid drag force. As a result, the
optimization of rib geometrical parameters indicates that good anti-erosion performance can be achieved
by four ribs, each of them with a height (H) of 3 mm and a width (B) of 5 mm equaling the interval
between ribs (L).
Key words: Solid-liquid two-phase flow, discrete particle hard sphere model, choke, erosion rate, antierosion, numerical simulation
1 Introduction
The mechanical damage to the surface caused by the
impact of solid particles has been a serious problem in a
variety of engineering applications. Any industrial process
involving the transportation of solid particles entrained in
the fluid phase can be subject to erosion damage (Humphrey,
1990; Finnie, 1995). In oil and gas production, the solid
particles, which were used as proppants and carried by
fracturing fluids with a high velocity in sand fracturing
operations, can cause serious damage to downhole flowcontrol equipment (chokes) as well as the surface of casing
walls (Economides and Nolte, 2002; McCasland et al,
2004; Vincent et al, 2004). During oil-field water injection
operations, particles entrained in continuous fluids can also
cause damage to the casing wall (Jordan, 1998; Richardson
et al, 1986). Depending on the actual conditions, the erosion
damage may be severe and extremely expensive, as it may
be frequently necessary to replace or repair the device or
component that is exposed and susceptible to the erosive
environment (McCasland et al, 2004; Jordan 1998; McLaury
* Corresponding author. email: wangys@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Received August 25, 2008
Pet.Sci.(2009)6:91-97
92
2 Mathematical model
(9)
(10)
(11)
(2)
(12)
for the case where two spheres stop sliding during the
collision process,where superscript 0 means before collision;
s is fraction coefficient; e is the coefficient of restitution; n
is the unit normal vector from particle 1 to particle 2 at the
moment of contact; m is the particle mass; R is particle radius;
v is particle velocity; is angular velocity; G0 is the relative
velocities between particle centers before collision, and Gct0 is
the tangential component of the relative velocity; t is the unit
tangential vector at contact point.
0
1
1
0
2
1
(3)
(4)
where V and Vpi are the volume of a computational cell and
the volume of particle i inside this cell, respectively; Fdrag is
the fluid drag force for an individual particle; n is the number
of particles in the cell.
The flow is turbulent, and the fluid turbulence is treated
with the standard
turbulent model.
n
2
Pet.Sci.(2009)6:91-97
93
(13)
with
Inner space of
choke
Outlet
Wall
(15)
(16)
where Ev is the particle erosion rate, mm3/g; W1 is the wall
impact velocity of the solid particle; and 1 is the impact
angle of the solid particle.
Pet.Sci.(2009)6:91-97
96
1.0
1.0
1.0
A
O
0.5
0.5
Probability, %
1.0
0.5
1.0
0.5
0.5
1.0
0.5
1.0
D
0.5
0
1.0
1.0
0.5
H
0.5
Velocity, m/s
Fig. 7 Probability distribution of particle-wall impact velocity
1.0
1.0
0.8
0.4
0.28
0.2
0.138
0.14
0.036
0.024
0.028
0.008
0.004
0.0
O
Acknowledgements
0.61
0.6
5 Conclusions
Mean
Type of ribs
Fig. 8 Relative erosion rate at different rib geometrical parameters
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Pet.Sci.(2009)6:91-97
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